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Archiver > WARBRIDES > 2003-02 > 1044760633


From: hlmw1 <>
Subject: [WarBrides] Living at home
Date: Sat, 08 Feb 2003 20:17:13 -0700


On giving further thought to the question about living quarters for War
Brides in WW II. I wish to add that living at home with parents was the
usual thing for any young woman with a husband in the services. I know I
am generalising, but I have thought through all of my family and friends
and realized that all of them kept their jobs and stayed at home with
Mum and Dad.
It was a very different kind of life back then, not a time of plenty as
now when we could just pick up and go almost anywhere.
Those asking questions about WWII must also remember the economic times.
The world was just coming out of a Depression. We did not have a lot of
money to throw around and rationing was severe. It was not only more
economical to stay home but better to contribute our ration coupons to
the good of the family so that we could all benefit.
Just in case you have not thought about it, the more ration books in a
family, the better the meals were. Our Mums were 'barterers' they knew
how to get that little bit extra. I would have hated to try to live on
my own in an apartment with the measly little rations we each had.
Not many of us had husbands who could just come home and stay with us
every night.
Sorry, if I sound a bit preachy but times are so very different now and
much easier I might add. When I showed a photo album to my
granddaughters recently I had to explain that the pictures back then
were only in black and white and that the few coloured ones in the album
were some I had painted! I also explained the dearth of pictures. I did
not even own a camera. All of my pictures were taken by others. By
comparison, my family members take a couple of dozen pictures at every
family event and think nothing of it, that is when they are not
videotaping.
I have been praying that there will not be another war. When you have
been through one that lasted 6 years you just can not bear to think of
the needless and terrible waste of life that will take place on all
sides if Iraq is attacked.
Man creates wars.
Hazel


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